A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

Today I had my Special recessive hen come from out of the field with 10 chunky poults in tow. I put her and them in the broody pen, where they will stay for a few weeks and then I will let them out once all the poults are flying well. She is doing a really great job with them for a first time mother. I never did find her nest and was getting quite anxious about her whereabouts, even though I knew she was probably nesting nearby. I am over the moon that she is not only OK, but has 10 poults. I wish I could find the old nest.

Where are the pics?

 

[SarahGfa]

turkey poults definitely fly by 2 weeks. They fly very well. I have had adult hens fly a quarter mile when a big dog that wasn't mine showed up a few years ago. It took me a long while to gather those hens up, let me tell you! Poults will fly across the back yard by 2 weeks.

how did you did you gather up adult hens that flew a quarter mile away?

 

[R2elk]

how did you did you gather up adult hens that flew a quarter mile away?

I have herded them back.

 

[Bantambird]

how did you did you gather up adult hens that flew a quarter mile away?

I live where I have open fields separated by a wide ravine or drainage. While it is a lot harder if they fly into neighbor's yards, they can fly pretty far into my fields and pastures and I can just watch where they went and trudge over there to retrieve them. I am managing about 50 acres of hay grounds, and then there's other pastures and such, as long as they fly that way it is easy to get them back..

 

[Bantambird]

Where are the pics?

I will get them in the morning. She was pretty upset that I put her away at first, so I have been letting her be so she can settle. By this evening, she has accepted her confinement to the broody pen. She still complains when she sees me, demanding that I let her out RIGHT NOW.
The older poults that were in there have been ejected and are doing very well milling about with their moms and keeping bugs down around the greenhouse. Over there they can stay away from the main flock and yet still integrate occasionally. There are 3 hens that decided to become co parents with Hazel and Ice with their 4 poults, so there are now more broodies with the middle poult group than there are poults to be raised. Luckily, the poults are now big enough that they likely won't be crushed by overly loving mommies, and this many hens being broody will keep the toms well away from these poults. These 4 are about 4 weeks old.

 

[Bantambird]

 

[KF0002]

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They are adorable!

 

[KF0002]

My fall fire jake has started to strut and gobble.

 

[SarahGfa]

My hen + feral poults are back in the yard during the day. Most of the poults will eat worms from my hand, or on the ground near my hand. Except the little bronze one, it won't come within 6 feet of me.

I don't know where they sleep at night. This is stressful! I wonder if I can feed my hen birth control pills next year so she doesn't lay eggs or hide a nest.

 

[KF0002]

My hen + feral poults are back in the yard during the day. Most of the poults will eat worms from my hand, or on the ground near my hand. Except the little bronze one, it won't come within 6 feet of me.

I don't know where they sleep at night. This is stressful! I wonder if I can feed my hen birth control pills next year so she doesn't lay eggs or hide a nest.

Lol!! My turkey birth control method in my goat lot next year will be my Pyrenees. He finds all eggs within his territory and removes them for population control. He also doubles as quality assurance coordinator and inspects the eggs for freshness and taste. In short, he is an egg eater. The turkey hens will have to get pretty crafty to keep him from finding their eggs.

I plan on keeping birds I want to breed in separate pens during breeding season. We will also have to put nests up high where Waylon can't reach them, because he finds all eggs where he can get to them.

I'm glad your hen brings the poults back to the yard during the day. You could follow her late in the evening in stealth mode and see where she is taking them. By now I imagine she is taking them up in a tree.